“Shrinking's” Ted McGinley Thought He Was 'Getting Killed Off' After Derek's Hospitalization (Exclusive)
“Shrinking's” Ted McGinley Thought He Was 'Getting Killed Off' After Derek's Hospitalization (Exclusive)
Stacy LambeWed, March 4, 2026 at 3:25 PM UTC
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Ted McGinley on 'Shrinking'
Warning: Spoilers for Shrinking season 3, episode six, which debuted March 4 on Apple TV
After Derek ended up in the hospital in season 3, episode 6 of Shrinking, Ted McGinley thought he was getting killed off
The actor tells PEOPLE we had "some sleepless nights" waiting to find out his character's fate on the show
The episode follows another standout moment for McGinley, when Derek accidentally gets high and thinks he is dying
While Ted McGinley has been enjoying getting to do more on Shrinking season 3, he was admittedly worried about getting killed off in the new episodes, especially after his character, Derek, is forced to deal with some unexpected health issues.
"I mean, I literally had some sleepless nights," the 67-year-old actor tells PEOPLE about reading the scripts for this season, initially not knowing how things were going to play out for his character. "I don't get to see [the story] ahead of time. I have no idea where it's gonna go. So, it's week to week."
After accidentally getting stoned and being looked over by a doctor in episode 4, Derek learned he has a small heart aberration. Cut to episode 6, aptly titled "Dereks Don't Die," he gets an EKG at home, where he learns that his cardiologist wants him back in the hospital right away.
Upon further examination, Derek finds out there's blockage in an artery, which could lead to a heart attack. As a result, he's forced to get emergency bypass surgery to prevent a "widow maker" incident from happening.
Ted McGinley (left) and Christa Miller on 'Shrinking'
"Liz, the boys, you, you're everything. I can't even think about what can happen if I don't [make it]," Derek tells Liz (Christa Miller) during a heartfelt moment after the two get some privacy in the hospital room. He then lists off some instructions for things to take care of at home, before telling Liz, "I love you. I know you know that. But if this is the last time I get to say it, I really want to know you heard it."
After Liz responds in kind and reassures him he'll be fine, he's taken in for surgery. Then, before the episode ends, everyone learns that the operation was successful. "Dereks don't die," Liz tells him after they reunite.
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While the ending was a happy result, McGinley admits that "I'm not a guy who wants to know" when it comes to waiting to learn about what's going to happen on the show, especially with Derek. He explains, "I think it's really fun to open the script and go, 'Oh my God.' "
However, when it came to where the story was headed with Derek's heart issues, McGinley admits, "The only thing is, that was a little nerve-racking this season. I thought they were gonna kill me off."
"I was like, 'Oh my God, they're not telling me,' " he recalls.
Christa Miller and Ted McGinley on 'Shrinking'
While episode 6 left him a bit uneasy about Derek's fate, McGinley tells PEOPLE that episode 4 was also a daunting one. According to the actor, his character's hilarious stoner moment was inspired by showrunner Bill Lawrence's own real-life experience with his son.
"I thought, 'Oh my God, this is so good.' Are you kidding me? Like, those are the kind of things you dream about," he says of getting to act out that moment in front of the camera.
"And yet I was so nervous because that's actually a Bill Lawrence story. That really happened to Bill," he reveals, explaining that the showrunner "walked me through that story and I had to try to honor his story and also figure out how to do it… I will say it was one of the most challenging things I've ever done as an actor."
McGinley adds, "I loved every minute of it, but I was a nervous wreck."
New episodes of Shrinking season 3 debut Wednesdays until April 8 on Apple TV.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
